Lessons I've Learned

My mother is a wonderful person, and when gift-giving occasions arise, she'd like to receive the perfect card and spend time with loved ones, rather than get a million presents. Knowing this, I recently found myself making my way through the card section, on the hunt for the perfect Mother's Day card for my Mom.

I needed to find a card that expressed a heartfelt sentiment - one where every single word and phrase echoes a sentiment that is true for my Mom. While this is normally so simple feat, I actually narrowed it down to 2 cards that I really liked, then ultimately set them both aside when I finally found the perfect card.

I realized that all of the cards I was drawn to this year (it's different every year) held a similar theme - they all seemed to be about what we learned from our mother. This made me reflect on some of the life lessons I learned from my Mom. Some are things that I learned from her example, and some are things that I decided I would do differently, Because of this, some of the lessons you see may seem to contradict themselves. They're often 2 sides of the same coin. I learned a lot from my mother. She continues to be one of the strongest and kindest people I know. Certainly THE most thoughtful person I know.

• My mother taught me that kindness matters. That it is ALWAYS worth the time and effort it takes to show someone that you care. It doesn't matter if it will be recognized or appreciated. The simple act of kindness and knowing that you're doing a good thing is enough.

• My mother taught me that you need to stand up for yourself, and ensure that you are treated in the way that you deserve to be. That if you are unhappy with the way you are being treated, you need to step up and SAY something, and if that doesn't work, you need to DO something about it. Allowing it to continue is not a healthy option.

• My mother taught me to think of what everyone needs, and to try to find ways to meet those needs. Whether planning a meal or a vacation, thinking about the needs and wants of each person in the family is important for success.

• My mother taught me to make myself a priority. That it's not only okay for me to speak up and say what I want/need, but that it's important that I do so. That if all you do is give so much of yourself every day and don't make sure your own needs are taken care of, that soon you will have nothing left for anyone.

• My mother taught me to be unafraid. Change can be scary, but continuing on with something that isn't working and NOT changing, is even worse. Being able to recognize when something needs to change and having the courage to make it happen is brave, and amazing, and inspiring.

• My mother taught me that good is the enemy of great. Not in so many words - those words are generic corporate lingo learned years later - but the sentiment is the same. If you simply accept something that is good, you'll never strive to achieve something great, and therefore never maximize potential.

• My mother taught me to always try my best. There's no excuse for mediocre work - it's laziness, plain and simple, which is NOT acceptable. If you aren't going to do your best work, you're wasting everyone's time.

• My mother taught me that a clean house is important for a healthy family, but a tidy house if often more about appearances to others. As long as we know where everything is and our space works for us, that's all that matters. Would I like things to be neat and tidy? Yes. Is it something I am willing to stress out about or sacrifice precious family time for? No.

• My mother taught me that it's important to share what's in your head and your heart - both the good and the bad, but that the when, where & how you share is even more important.

There are so many things that my mother taught me, I couldn't possibly list them all. But today, on Mother's Day, I'm thinking about all the lessons I learned from my Mother, that have helped me to be the person I am today.